The present invention relates to an electromagnetically-controlled filler spout.
A filler spout known in particular from document WO 01/40098 comprises a tubular body having mounted therein a valve member extending over a valve seat, and a magnetic actuator element associated with a coil outside the tubular body and connected to the valve member via an axial coupling member. The assembly formed in this way is radially rigid so that in order to ensure that the valve member is accurately positioned relative to the valve seat in order to obtain satisfactory leaktightness, it is necessary not only for the valve member to be guided accurately along the axis of the valve seat, but also for the magnetic actuator element to be guided in very precise manner along the axis of the valve member, thereby leading to very significant manufacturing constraints. In particular, the valve member and the magnetic actuator element need to be mounted accurately on the same axis as each other, and when the body of the filler spout is made up of a plurality of assembled-together elements, it is necessary for the elements of the body to be mounted relative to one another in a manner that ensures they are accurately on the same axis. These constraints lead to high manufacturing cost for the filler spout.
A first object of the invention is to propose a filler spout that operates in satisfactory manner while being less expensive to manufacture than prior filler spouts.
A second object of the invention is to propose a filler spout that can easily be adapted to different substances.
In accordance with the first object of the invention, a filler spout is proposed of the above-specified type in which the coupling member comprises two elements coupled together via a coupling that includes radial clearance. The control function exerted by the magnetic actuator element is thus dissociated from the closing function performed by the valve member, such that the various elements making up the filler spout can be made separately and assembled together in a configuration in which they do not lie accurately on the same axis, without the operation of the filler spout suffering as a result.
In an advantageous version of the invention, the valve member and the magnetic actuator element are mounted in separate-body elements connected together by a quick coupling member, and the elements of the coupling member are separable. It is thus possible to make up different control member and shutter member combinations quickly.
According to an advantageous aspect of this version of the invention, one of the elements of the coupling member is a C-shaped yoke, and the other element is a peg having a head engaged between branches of the yoke. After opening the quick coupling member, it is thus possible to separate the valve member and the magnetic actuator element merely by shifting them sideways relative to each other.
In another advantageous aspect of the invention, the filler spout includes a secondary shutter disposed downstream from the valve member and rigidly connected thereto, and the body has a constriction overlying the secondary shutter, the secondary shutter and the constriction being of dimensions and relative positioning that are appropriate to ensure that while the valve member is closed, the secondary shutter leaves clearance relative to the constriction that is just sufficient to retain a liquid contained in the body between the valve member and the secondary shutter by means of capillarity. This makes it possible without interfering with the closure action of the valve member to maintain a quantity of substance in the filler spout which is sufficient to avoid faulty formation of the jet of substance when the valve member is opened.